Blue Jays acquire Melvin Upton Jr

[2014olympicgold]

MUJ has 9 defensive runs saved in LF, Saunders has 6. He’s 1 of 2 (Altuve) in the MLB to have at least 15HR and 20SB.

- - - Updated - - -

Also clubs have agreed to the deal. MLB hasn’t approved yet. Rumours are Toronto is trying to get Cashner apart of it now. So if it falls apart, Toronto at least still gets MUJ

[blayze]

Bautista's as good as gone, and I'm OK with it. He's getting too old and worth nowhere near what he thinks.

Hopefully this gives them more $ to throw at Edwing.

[LawMan]

MUJ has 9 defensive runs saved in LF, Saunders has 6. He’s 1 of 2 (Altuve) in the MLB to have at least 15HR and 20SB.

- - - Updated - - -

Also clubs have agreed to the deal. MLB hasn’t approved yet. Rumours are Toronto is trying to get Cashner apart of it now. So if it falls apart, Toronto at least still gets MUJ

How does that work that the teams have agreed but Toronto is trying to get more? some weird MLB rule I assume...

[2014olympicgold]

MUJ has 9 defensive runs saved in LF, Saunders has 6. He’s 1 of 2 (Altuve) in the MLB to have at least 15HR and 20SB.

- - - Updated - - -

Also clubs have agreed to the deal. MLB hasn’t approved yet. Rumours are Toronto is trying to get Cashner apart of it now. So if it falls apart, Toronto at least still gets MUJ

I should correct myself. I read the stat wrong. Saunders has MINUS SIX DRS in LF. If you guys care:
RF- Carrera – 6
CF – Pillar – 14
LF – Carrera – 2
3B – Donaldson – 4

SS –Tulo – 7
2B – Travis – 4
1B – Colabello – 1 (Smoak has -5)
C – Thole – (-1) (Martin has -6)
P – Dickey – 4

[LawMan]

I like the deal for the Jays. A solid veteran who is much better in the field than anyone the Jays have not named Pillar (Sauders, Bautista and Carrerra are all negative fielders).

Hopefully he can find success early in the lead-off position, where I expect Gibby to try him. If not he can bat 9th and come up to turn the lineup over.
For $5 million I'll be happy to have him as part of the OF next season.

[2014olympicgold]

How does that work that the teams have agreed but Toronto is trying to get more? some weird MLB rule I assume...

Think 2 different deals I think. I guess they save money? Maybe they are trying to incorporate a 3^rd team?

[Axeman33]

No, not nitpicking. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Regardless of what they gave up, I don't like the idea of paying 16mil next year to a guy who strikes out every 3rd at bat.
He better play some incredible D, and then maybe I'll come on board with this move.

If must drive you nuts watching that All-Star Michael Saunders at bat then. So far this season, Upton has struck out only six more times than Saunders and has played in two more games. Russ Martin isn't too far behind them either.

That being said, those 20 stolen bases that Upton has this year compared to Saunders, who has zero, is a nice way to generate runs when he does get on base though.

[rataylor22]

No, not nitpicking. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Regardless of what they gave up, I don't like the idea of paying 16mil next year to a guy who strikes out every 3rd at bat.
He better play some incredible D, and then maybe I'll come on board with this move.

They're paying $5 million total for him between this year and next year.

[hockeyrobot]

They're paying $5 million total for him between this year and next year.

Woah now I really like this deal for the Jays.

[2014olympicgold]

If must drive you nuts watching that All-Star Michael Saunders at bat then. So far this season, Upton has struck out only six more times than Saunders and has played in two more games. Russ Martin isn't too far behind them either.

That being said, those 20 stolen bases that Upton has this year compared to Saunders, who has zero, is a nice way to generate runs when he does get on base though.

You can make numbers say whatever you want. But MUJ strikes-out the same as Saunders, but Saunders hits the ball more, and gets more walks.
Saunders:
377PA
2.63SO/BB
1.05SO/H
Pitches seen – 1613 (4.28/PA) 7^th in the league
Swinging SO – 75, 25^th in the league.
Looking SO – 25, 20^th in the league

MUJ
374PA
4.35SO/BB
1.20SO/H
Pitches seen – 1407 (3.75/PA) 110^th in the league
Swinging SO – 86, 8^th in the league (BAD)
Looking SO – 20, 45^th in the league

For a gauge on pitches seen/PA, Donaldson is 31^st in pitches seen/PA (4.07), Edwin is 39^th (4.04/PA)

[bondon]

Kind of off-topic, but I actually think Saunders is one of the better hitters talent-wise on the team. He has an amazing ability to turn his hands in and spray the ball to the opposite field on pitches that guys would normally get jammed on.

[bigbabybuda]

For the price they're paying this is an absolutely brilliant move. Now as long as Gibby puts him nowhere near the lead off spot it will work great. He is the 3rd or 4th worst hitter on the team. so should be batting somewhere in the 7-9 hole. I personally would bat him 7th. Bautista is the only person who should be batting leadoff for the rest of the year. He should also not be playing RF anymore. Upton is a plus RF and makes that catch all day long in the 12th. Their lucky they pulled that one out

[2014olympicgold]

For the price they're paying this is an absolutely brilliant move. Now as long as Gibby puts him nowhere near the lead off spot it will work great. He is the 3rd or 4th worst hitter on the team. so should be batting somewhere in the 7-9 hole. I personally would bat him 7th. Bautista is the only person who should be batting leadoff for the rest of the year. He should also not be playing RF anymore. Upton is a plus RF and makes that catch all day long in the 12th. Their lucky they pulled that one out

ANyone that hits the wall that quickly is a tough play for anyone. I wouldnt say he makes it all day, especially since it was his first game in Toronto in yrs. No way he would have been comfortable running to a wall like that, he might have caught it, but all day is a stretch.

[havanablast21]

I understand the concern, but I think sometimes you have to look at these kinds of deals in the context of the MLB and how the league works, as well as the Jays' current situation in order to make sense of it.

Look at it this way: Coming into this season, the prospect cupboards are pretty barren. Don't get me wrong, I loved the moves that Anthopoulos made last year. I was very happy with them at the time and the risk that he took. But that has limited the ability of the new regime to really make any big impact deals at the deadline. We're kind of in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario, where our window is RIGHT NOW (with Saunders, Bautista, and Encarnacion likely to walk after this season) so we want to add as much as possible, but we've already tapped out the well.

So what options do you have when you want to add but you also don't have the assets to do so? You buy-low on damaged goods. Grilli is an example of that...Jays acquired him for a very cheap price because he's an old guy with lower-end velocity. But he's managed to make it work so far. I see Melvin Upton as a similar case. Ugly 16.5M salary next season. But he brings certain things to the table too. Solid defense, speed on the basepaths, seems to have regained the power that he once had. We also still haven't heard how much cash we received as compensation.

Consider this as well, if you attempt to go out and sign a real star player to fill in for RF, odds are he will cost you your first round pick because of compensation rules, which is what this organization doesn't want as it attempts to restock the shelves. Mind you, odds are we get 3 picks from Saunders Bautista and Edwin, but still.

I think one thing to note is how the move to the Jays' lineup may benefit Upton - if they choose to use him in the leadoff spot. I understand the apprehension given his OBP isn't great, but one thing to consider is the effect of putting him ahead of Donaldson Bautista and Encarnacion. Pitchers will have to make pitches. Mind you, he wasn't hitting in front of slouches in San Diego (Myers/Kemp/Solarte), but I don't think there's a better 2-4 than what we have.

My vote here is for cautious optimism. I like the thought process behind this move (as I imagine it). We'll see if it plays out on the field.

Very well put. I agree.

I also am reminded that Upton Jr. USED to be a fairly prominent multi faceted player in the league not "too" long ago.
And I also find it encouraging to recognize that Toronto seems to have a knack for revitalizing players careers E.E. To name 1 and in other cases "discover" the best in players yet to hit their potential. Bautista (never more than a journeyman util player until Landon in T.O. Estrada (known for getting lit up with the HR, Barney (who?), Saunders (Captain Canada ... The All Star).

Not saying Upton is the next Edwing... My point... He's shown his capabilities in the past and he couldn't have landed in a better spot IMO. And I don't give a flying fadoo (as Bob Cat would say) about his 16 million next year. Not my money!

[2014olympicgold]

Very well put. I agree.

I also am reminded that Upton Jr. USED to be a fairly prominent multi faceted player in the league not "too" long ago.
And I also find it encouraging to recognize that Toronto seems to have a knack for revitalizing players careers E.E. To name 1 and in other cases "discover" the best in players yet to hit their potential. Bautista (never more than a journeyman util player until Landon in T.O. Estrada (known for getting lit up with the HR, Barney (who?), Saunders (Captain Canada ... The All Star).

Not saying Upton is the next Edwing... My point... He's shown his capabilities in the past and he couldn't have landed in a better spot IMO. And I don't give a flying fadoo (as Bob Cat would say) about his 16 million next year. Not my money!

You mean the 2012 NL 2B Gold Glover? But I do agree, I’ve given faith in Toronto’s resurgence ability before, and I will again. The chance for a batter to hit in a powerful lineup, a knowledgeable lineup that’s always talking, and in a hitter friendly ballpark does wonders.

When MUJ was on 1^st and Martin on 3^rd, if the opponent was anyone but the Padres, I think he steals 2b to get rid of the double play. Turns out it wasn’t needed because the pitcher liked throwing spinners in the dirt, but I was really expecting it.